The Taconite Capital of the World

City of Mountain Iron, Minnesota

Meeting Minutes for December 16, 2013

MINUTES

MOUNTAIN IRON CITY COUNCIL

December 16, 2013

Mayor Skalko called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. with the following members present: Joe Prebeg, Jr., Susan Tuomela, Tony Zupancich, Alan Stanaway, and Mayor Gary Skalko. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Clark, Municipal Services Secretary; Michael Downs, Director of Public Works; Rod Flannigan, City Engineer; John Backman, Sergeant; and Brian Lindsay, City Attorney.

It was moved by Skalko and seconded by Tuomala that the consent agenda be approved as follows:

Add the following item to the agenda:

IV. A. 1. Resignation from Utility Advisory Board

Approve the minutes of the November 18, 2013, Committee-of-the-Whole meeting as submitted.

Approve the minutes of the December 2, 2013, regular meeting as submitted.

That the communications be accepted and placed on file and those requiring further action by the City Council be acted upon during their proper sequence on the agenda.

To acknowledge the receipts for the period December 1-15, 2013 totaling $1,296,790.71, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

To authorize the payments of the bills and payroll for the period December 1-15, 2013, totaling $412,751.27, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).

The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.

No one spoke during the public forum.

The Mayor reported on the following:

Mesabi Daily News. He said he was getting tired of correcting “Onions” in the newspaper. He suggested that the public contact City Council Members, the Hometown Focus monthly “Happenings” column, or City Staff regarding factual information.

Condolences. He expressed condolences to the family of Mavis Epp, who recently passed away.

It was moved by Tuomela and seconded by Prebeg to accept the resignation of Kevin Squillace from the Utility Advisory Board. The motion carried.

The Mayor requested the City Administrator to send a letter to Kevin Squillace and thank him for his years of service on the Utility Advisory Board.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to hire the following winter seasonal workers:

Jodi Hammer Riley Wilson Stephen Erickson

Joseph Holmes Alison Peterangelo Daniel Niska

The motion carried.

The City Administrator informed the Council that he was on a rating call from Standard and Poor’s regarding the City’s financial status and solvency, and our bond rating was increased from A to AA-.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to authorize the purchase of a Ring-O-Matic vacuum trailer from Trenchers Plus through the state bid process. After further discussion, it was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Tuomela to amend the motion to purchase the item on or after January 1, 2014. The amended motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.

It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Prebeg to authorize the purchase of a 2014 Dodge Charger Police Package for a price of $24,855.00 from Ranger Chevrolet. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.

It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Prebeg to hire the following firefighters:

Joseph Pugleasa Todd Hanson

pending the completion of background checks and physical examinations. The motion carried.

During the liaison reports, Councilor Stanaway, representing the Library Board, informed the Council that the Library would be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Mountain Iron Library in 2014.

It was moved by Stanaway and seconded by Zupancich to adopt Ordinance #03-13, banning the sale, possession, transfer, or manufacture of synthetic or alternative drugs, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.

It was moved by Zupancich and seconded by Stanaway to adopt Resolution Number 45-13, ordering preparation of report on improvements, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Tuomela to accept the recommendation of the Utility Advisory Board and adopt the Uniform Statewide Contract for Cogeneration Agreements between the City and Independent School District Number 712; and also between the City and the Economic Development Authority, (copies are attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.

It was moved by Prebeg and seconded by Zupancich to table the request from the Quad Cities Tennis for All and refer the request to the Park and Recreation Board for their recommendation. The motion carried.

The Council reviewed the list of communications. Councilor Stanaway questioned the Mediacom letter implementing rate adjustments for cable television in town. He asked if there was anything that the City could do regarding upgrading their signal in the City. It was the consensus of the Council that the Cable Commission could discuss this at their next meeting.

At 7:07 p.m., it was moved by Skalko and seconded by Prebeg that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.